HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_1541 (2)IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BUDGET SESSION MINUTES
THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2007
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met for a Budget Review Session on
Thursday, May 24, 2007, at 5:30 p.m., in the Iredell County Government Center (South Wing
Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Present were:
Chairman Marvin Norman
Vice Chairman Sara Haire Tice
Steve Johnson
Ken Robertson
Godfrey Williams
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Deputy County Manager Susan
Blumenstein, Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson, Assistant Finance Director Deb Alford,
Tax Administrator Bill Doolittle, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore.
Others present: Kathryn Thier with the Charlotte Observer, Daniel Goldberg and
Bethany Fuller with the Record & Landmark, and Lee Ann Sherrill with the Iredell Citizen.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Norman.
REVIEW OF BUDGET SCHEDULES: Deputy County Manager Blumenstein
reviewed budget schedules A-1. She said $22,401,703 was the estimated unreserved and
undesignated fund balance as of June 30, 2007, and the FY 2008 expenditures were estimated at
$158,225,140. Blumenstein said the FY 07-08 budget was presented with a 14.16% fund
balance (general fund).
DISTRIBUTION OF SPREADSHEETS SHOWING REAL PROPERTY VALUES
FOR THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS: Blumenstein shared property valuations
for all parcels within each VFD's district including Lake Norman and Troutman along with
spreadsheets showing the values if these two departments were deleted from the county -wide fire
service district. She said the countywide district valuation (all VFDs with the exception of
Shepherds, Mt. Mourne and East Alexander) totaled $8,505,483,230 with Troutman alone
generating $1,089,494,952 and Lake Norman producing $3,311,664,893. Blumenstein said,
however, it was difficult to pinpoint growth for all areas due to some departments not being
coded by five -mile districts, plus motor vehicle values had to be estimated.
Commissioner Williams said the Troutman VFD had requested approximately $2 million
from the Fire Tax District Board. He said the fire tax board had delayed a response until the
board of commissioners rendered a decision about the VFD's request for a voted -in tax district.
County Manager Mashburn said it was rather late in the budget cycle to consider the
voted -in tax district request.
Blumenstein said the City of Statesville had a municipal election in October, and that
other municipalities had elections in November.
REVENUE & EXPENDITURE SPREADSHEETS: Blumenstein said that during
2007-08, cable television revenues would be received in a different manner. She said the cable
companies would be taxed through the Department of Revenue, and this agency would reimburse
the counties. She said fuel, postage, and employee mileage reimbursement costs would be
higher in the upcoming year.
Mashburn said the staff was exploring the possibility of renting vehicles vs. paying
employee mileage when there were out -of -county seminars and conferences. He mentioned that
the budget included a 2.5% cost of living increase for employees.
HEALTH CARE BENEFITS FUND: Mashburn said the county was self-insured
through the county commissioner's association pool and the health plan was administered by